1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to storage containers for recorded media and, more particularly, to a storage container having a centrally disposed retaining hub for engaging and selectively retaining an item of recorded media. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a storage container for recorded media employing a retaining hub that releasably secures an item of recorded media such as a DVD while substantially protecting the stored item from bending stresses created during loading, storage, and removal of the item from the storage container
2. Background Information
Compact discs have become immensely popular in the past 15 years and have supplanted records and tapes as the dominant form of recorded music. Over this time, numerous storage containers have been developed to hold the discs during shipping, display for sale, and subsequent home storage of the discs. Most of these storage containers utilize some type of center hub that engages the center hole of the disc to hold the disc in place in the storage container.
In the recent past, digital versatile discs (DVDs) have been developed that hold more data than a compact disc. Given their large storage capacity, DVDs may be used to hold feature length films as well as music. It is also contemplated that the DVDs may be used to hold data in a computer readable form. One problem with the DVD is that it currently trades durability for its increased storage space. It has been found that a DVD may be damaged by the forces that are commonly used to remove compact discs from their storage containers, to hold the compact discs in the storage containers, and to store the compact discs in the containers. Thus, a potential problem has been created in that it is believed that the vast number of consumers will treat a DVD like a CD because of the similarities in the products and will damage the DVD by doing things that do not harm a CD. It is thus desired in the art to provide a DVD storage container that prevents a consumer from damaging a DVD by improperly removing a DVD from the container.
One of the chief areas of concern with a DVD storage container is the bending forces created in the DVD by the container or removal of the DVD from the container. Although compact discs are relatively insensitive to bending stresses, DVDs are sensitive to such bending forces and may lose information or become unusable because of such bending forces. Bending forces may occur during removal of the DVD from the storage container, loading the DVD into the storage container, or storage of the DVD in the container. The industry has thus moved in a direction that requires DVD storage containers to securely retain a DVD during a drop test without creating a constant bending force on the DVD during storage or allowing a bending force to be placed on the DVD during installation or removal of the DVD from the storage container.
Although a DVD is approximately the same size, weight, and dimensions as a compact disc, the storage containers used for compact discs are generally unsuitable for providing a DVD storage container that eliminates bending forces. Most CD storage containers are unsuitable for DVDs because they include center hubs that radially and resiliently engage the center hole of a compact disc to retain the compact disc in the storage container. It has been recently determined that such radial engagement creates a constant force on a DVD that eventually warps the DVD rendering it imperfect or unuseable. Other compact disc storage containers allow a person to grasp the outer edge of a compact disc and pull upwardly causing the disc to disengage the center hub. This action creates a significant amount of bending force in the body of the compact disc. As compact discs are less sensitive to such bending force, this action does not substantially harm a compact disc while it may break a DVD or otherwise render it unuseable.
One device that holds a CD in a manner that reduces the large bending forces experienced by the CD during removal of the CD from the storage container is disclosed in German reference DE 3425579. This device retains the CD with a central hub having a lip. A plurality of spring members are disposed about the central hub and are configured to resiliently engage the bottom surface of the CD when it is stored in the container. The CD is thus trapped between the spring members and the lip during storage. The CD is released by depressing the center button which collapses into the center hole of the CD. Once the lip of the hub is moved inwardly, the spring members pop the CD up to a position where it may be removed from the storage container.
Unfortunately, the spring members create a constant force on the bottom of the CD which creates a small constant bending force in the CD. Although this force is not large enough to damage a CD overtime, it is large enough to slightly warp a DVD when the DVD is stored over long periods of time. This slight warp may render the DVD unusable.
Other embodiments of a storage device disclosed in the German patent utilize lever arms that lift the CD or DVD off of the retaining hub when the center button is depressed. Although these lifting arms are effective for lifting the CD or DVD off of the hub, the center hub does not release the item of recorded media without creating bending forces. These embodiments are also more difficult to manufacture than embodiments without lifting arms.
Another device that may be used to hold an item of recorded media such as a compact disc is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,427. The device in this patent allows a compact disc to be removed from the storage container through the engagement of a ridge with the inner wall that forms the central opening of the CD. In the storage position, the ridge rests on the top surface of the CD. When a person removes the CD from the container, the ridge is forced along the inner wall creating a bending force in the CD. The specification describes that the force is significant enough that there is a slight clicking action as the ridge passes below the lower surface of the disc and grasps the disc. This device also captures the interior wall of the central opening in the CD while the CD is being removed from the holder. Such capturing creates an undesirable radially outward bending force in the CD or DVD while it is being removed from the holder.
In view of the damage created by the slight bending forces, the DVD industry has moved in the direction of requiring DVD storage containers to hold the DVDs without imparting any bending forces on the DVD. One manner of indicating that no bending forces are imparted on the DVD is by allowing the DVD to freely rotate while in the storage position. The devices described above do not allow the CD or DVD to freely rotate because the devices retain the CD or DVD with constant forces.
It is thus desirable to provide a storage container for recorded media such as a DVD that securely retains the item of recorded media in the storage container while not subjecting the item to significant bending stresses that can damage the item.
In view of the foregoing, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media such as a DVD.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that securely retains the item while not subjecting the item to bending forces during storage.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows the item of recorded media to be removed from the storage container without subjecting the item to substantial bending forces.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that prevents the improper removal of the item of recorded media from the storage container.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that drops completely below the lower surface of the item and lifts the item from the storage container from below without engaging the inner wall that forms the centrally-disposed hole in the item.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows the item of recorded media to be rotated within the storage container during storage.
Still a further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that includes a collapsible center hub that may be used to lift the item of recorded media from a storage position into a removal position without significantly stressing the item of recorded media.
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that includes a retaining hub having a plurality of fixed rigid supports that provide support to the item of recorded media adjacent its center portion with the storage container also having an annular outer ledge that provides support to the item of recorded media adjacent its outer diameter.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media having rigid inner supports that do not engage the information-containing area of the item of recorded media.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that does not allow the central portion of the item of recorded media to be flexed downwardly during installation or removal of the item.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media having a retaining hub that must be fully depressed and released prior to removing the item of recorded media from the storage container.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media having a plurality of raised bumps that solely support the item of recorded media from below to reduce friction between the storage container and the item of recorded media allowing the item of recorded media to rotate or spin in the storage container.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that includes a centrally disposed to projection that retains the position of the item of recorded media when it is in a released position so that the item of recorded media does not slip off of the storage container.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that is of simple construction, which achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective, and inexpensive manner, and which solves the problems and satisfies the needs existing in the art.
These and other objectives and advantages are obtained by the storage container for an item of recorded media of the present invention, the general nature of which may be stated as including the combination of a disc-shaped item of recorded media having an upper surface, a lower surface, a thickness, an outer diameter, and a centrally-disposed, substantially circular opening; and a storage container for holding the item of recorded media; the storage container having a base; a retaining hub extending upwardly from the base; the retaining hub having at least a first fixed support and at least one retaining lip; at least one bump extending up from the first fixed support; and the item of recorded media being disposed between the at least one bump and the at least one retaining lip.
Other objectives and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a storage container for an item of recorded media having an upper surface, a lower surface, a thickness, an outer diameter, and a centrally-disposed, substantially circular opening; the storage container including a base; a retaining hub projecting up from the base; the retaining hub including at least three resilient arms cantilevered from the base and at least three fixed supports, one of the fixed supports disposed between each pair of resilient arms; a retaining lip formed on each retaining arm, each retaining lip adapted to engage the upper surface of the item of recorded media; each of the three resilient arms being movable between first and second positions; each resilient arm adapted to support the lower surface of the item of recorded media in the first position; each fixed support disposed at substantially the same level as each resilient arm when the resilient arm is in the first position; and each resilient arm being disposed below each fixed support when the resilient arm is in the second position.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a method for removing an item of recorded media from a storage container; the item of recorded media having a centrally-disposed, substantially circular opening; the storage container having a retaining hub that includes a plurality of resilient arms and a plurality of fixed supports; the resilient arms disposed in the opening of the item of recorded media to retain the item of recorded media on the retaining hub; the method including the steps of depressing the arms to release the item of recorded media; supporting the item of recorded media adjacent the opening with the fixed supports to prevent the center of the item of recorded media from deflecting when the arms are depressed; releasing the arms; lifting the item of recorded media off of the fixed supports with the arms; and removing the lifted item of recorded media from the arms.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that includes a method for removing an item of recorded media from a storage container; the item of recorded media having a centrally-disposed, substantially circular opening; the storage container having a retaining hub that includes a plurality of resilient arms connected by a center button; the resilient arms disposed in the opening of the item of recorded media to retain the item of recorded media on the retaining hub; the method including the steps of depressing the center button causing the arms to move radially inward and down; releasing the center button allowing the arms to lift the item of recorded media.